From the torn heart of a man. I was asked to read a piece titled “The Double-Edged Sword Society” by a friend of mine. I met this educator maybe three years ago. His passion to lift our youth is what drew us close. Conversations of how to fix this mess or just tell me what can I do–has been always a part of our journey. He writes about the black community, law enforcement, and finish talking about the enemy. Luis Miguel Lopez is 29 years old. He was born in Staten Island, but raised in Brooklyn in the Williamsburg Section. He became infused into the education field 10 years ago and entered into the haven of classroom teaching three years ago.
Black Westchester Magazine present to you a piece by Luis M. Lopez “Double-Edged Sword Society”
Luis M. Lopez and the Black Community
“The world we live in has become cold. We live in the new middle ages. Barbaric acts of violence being met by more barbaric acts of violence. My brothers and sisters of color find no rest in the free world. Throughout the years, you began to grant them privileges as though they were some sort of child. Granting my brothers and sisters the right the vote, the right to equal education, and a list that surpasses the borders of this country, and yet, they aren’t granted anything at all. A person of color becomes the natural prey. Black people’s existence has been predetermined in this country because of the embedded perception that if they’re black they are guilty, if they’re black they are hostile, if they’re black they are wrong. Our country has hidden its agenda to make it appear that my black brothers and sisters are of equal standing. This is contradicted by the actions of a very select few of law enforcement officers and many of our law makers. Unite, not only as a black community, but as humans. We all want fair and equal treatment. Our children deserve the privilege of walking the streets without being harassed by virtue of their appearance. Families of my Black brothers and sisters should never have to worry about the safety of their loved ones because they are considered “targets”. Defeat this oppression by unifying as a people. Lin Manuel Miranda says it best, “…and love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside.” Fill your communities with love. Preach education and be the guardian of each other’s children. The saying “united we stand, divided we fall” doesn’t hold more weight than it does now. We need to stop the mindset of “divided we stand, united we fall”. Bring everyone around you together and stand as people. True love and peace is all I hope for my black brothers and sisters.”
Luis M. Lopez and Law Enforcement Community
“Imagine your task is to protect the world that wants vengeance upon you. Allow that thought to marinate. My brothers and sisters in blue, your integrity is challenged and your lives are even more at risk. The careless, thoughtless, and irresponsible actions of the so few “officers” have stained the honor of the badge. Let us not be fooled, real people with real live, with real debts, with real families are out on these streets serving and protecting us each and every day. Yet a war is raged against them all, and I feel for you my brothers and sisters in blue. The carelessness of the officers that take the lives of the innocent should never go unnoticed and never go unpunished, but do we punish the whole for the folly of a few? My brother and sisters in blue, the country has taken up arms against you and even with those odds, you persevere to defend what is right. My family and friends are among those I consider my brothers and sisters in blue. The fear of not knowing who is targeting you and having to protect regardless is the true reality of the brothers and sisters in blue. I honor and respect the badge and the things the majority of law enforcement officers do. Placing blame on the whole seems like a foolish thing to do. In turn, I continue to hope and pray that my cousins come home safe from their daily law enforcement duties, I pray my friends get to come home to their families after their tour of duty, and I pray that this dark cloud that looms over their heads moves away, because it isn’t every law enforcement officer’s fault. This is a call for all my brothers and sisters in blue to stand together with my black brothers and sisters to display unity amongst this terrible divide. Let us all see the common enemy. The system rigs things to play in its favor and, now more than ever, I have seen it come to pass. A clear line has been made in the sand. Brush that line aside, my brothers and sisters in blue. You are just as much a human as my black brothers and sisters. Let us not forget that we are a people and as a people, unity is the only course to take. In the words of Dr. Maya Angelou, “Courage, the most important of all virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” It will take courage to stand together and show the enemy you will not be made a pawn and you stand for what is right.”
Luis M. Lopez and The Enemy
“When the sun shines bright, we wear sunglasses to block the rays because it is hard to deal with the light. That is how our justice system works. People are blinded by what lawmakers want to do and because they are, they don’t see the hidden agendas these lawmakers want to push. Exposing these lawmakers is the key to repairing these injustices. When there is an “officer” using excessive force to apprehend anyone they should be held responsible and be dealt with like anyone else who would be charged for such actions. My black brothers and sister along with my brothers and sisters in blue need to unite to filter out lawmakers that help these “officers” who are blatantly careless with their actions get off clean while my black brothers and sisters are abused to no end. We need to revert back to a time where we demanded our lawmakers to take swift action or step aside. When a wound is bleeding, you apply pressure to stop it. We need to apply pressure on our lawmakers to make sure everyone is being treated equally and to ensure justice is served. I am not talking about justice being served to please the masses. I want equal prosecution of law breaking individuals, such as the officers that took away innocent lives, and the individuals who took the lives of innocent officers. It is a double-edged society we live in. Our brothers and sisters in blue must serve and protect neighborhoods and communities that rebel against them and my black brothers and sisters must be weary of where they are and what they’re doing for fear of being targeted. Lawmakers need to be held accountable because this country has a hostile pot brewing and unless action is taken and change is implemented, we are preparing to see a second civil war.”
Written by Luis M. Lopez
